


Once Upon a Time

by LadySeara



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: I won't tag other so you don't get spoilers of what fairy tale chara are they, M/M, Magic, Once Upon A Time AU, Policeman!Bokuto, Policeman!Kuroo, Post Mpreg, librarian!Kenma, policeman!Kageyama, sorry mom for what's coming
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-11
Updated: 2016-05-11
Packaged: 2018-06-07 19:56:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6821839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadySeara/pseuds/LadySeara
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What will happen, when fairy tales characters find themselves in modern Japan? The only one, who can help them is Kuroo Tetsurou, a police officer from Tokyo. He was asked for help by a person he thought he would never meet - his daughter.<br/>I couldn't write a good summary even if my life depends on it, but give it a try.<br/>"Once Upon a Time" AU, which means some of them are fairy characters :)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Once Upon a Time

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first work in Haikyuu fandom, so forgive me any OOCness and stuff. Same goes for English – it’s not my native language, so there might be mistakes. I hope you will like it and try to guess, who is who :)

We cannot expect to be happy always (…),  
By feeling pain as well as good, we become wise.  
Hans Christian Andersen “The Flax”

 

Every Thursday evening Kuroo Tetsurou watches volleyball games at home. He especially paid for sports channel (along with other programs in the package, but he only used this one) from his hard-earned wages. Mainly for those moments he was buying beer, two large packets of crisps (or he was just ordering pizza) and just relaxed. Of course, he wasn’t always alone - sometimes his "brother", Bokuto Kotarou and their mutual friend, Kageyama Tobio, dropped in to keep him company. When he and Bokuto went to the Police Academy, they belonged to the university’s volleyball team and they both remembered it well. Moreover, this is how they got to know Kageyama, who was now working as police analyst.  
However, this evening he was alone, so he just sat comfortable and turned on the TV, putting his feet on the coffee table. He and Bokuto were partners in Tokyo Homicide Department and they’ve just closed the difficult investigation. For the past half year they’ve been following the guy known as “Storyteller”, a serial killer, who chose his victims basing on fairy tales and after slaying them, he dropped bodies arranged as in those stories. Kuroo was still dreaming about a little girl who died like “The Little Match Girl”, freezing in the cold. He couldn’t get off his head the view of her small, delicate body, fossilized and livid from the ice. At the mere mention of this, he himself felt frozen and tried to turn his thoughts to another truck, sometimes simply getting drunk or walking around Tokyo at night, like a stray soul he was. Therefore, he took two weeks off from his job.  
He was, however, getting better and better at his job. Day by day, minute by minute, he was harder, stronger, building a wall for his emotions in his heart. He no longer needed them. He was married to his job and devoted his life to it: to save the lives of others and bring justice to those, who was brave (or stupid enough) to take someone life. He has never regretted this choice.  
He was so focused on the game and his thoughts, that in the first he didn’t notice quiet knock on the door. He did not order a pizza, neighbors didn’t think highly of him and Bokuto was on the duty tonight, so he wasn’t expecting a visit. Therefore, he ignored it, taking this as a mistake. But it has repeated, not two, but three times, and Kuroo reluctantly got up from the couch and reach for his weapon, quietly putting his finger on the trigger. He could never be too sure assured, because he had many enemies.  
Stepping quietly as he could, he went through a narrow hallway and walked to the door. He peered through peephole, but there was no one in the front. Did the neighbors’ children again were doing pranks?, he thought. Kuroo, after all, turned the lock and removed heavy chain. In his left hand he was still holding his Beretta, her familiar weight making him calm.  
At first he did not notice his unexpected guest. Unless he heard someone grunted softly, he looked down and his eyes met eyes of a little girl. Basing on the look, she wasn’t more than ten years old. She was wearing school uniform, but Kuroo didn’t recognize nor school, not its color. She had a backpack in the shape of a white kitten hanged over her one shoulder. Her black hair was braided in two pigtails and she looked at him with the golden, cat-like eyes, through her eyeglasses.  
Firstly, he thought she looked familiar. Shortly after he realized, that in front of his door, on late Thursday night, stood a child.  
A child, who should be in bed long ago.  
“How may I help you?” he asked, trying to be nice.  
“Are you Kuroo Tetsurou, sir?” she answered with a question, her small hand clutching backpack’s bar. Years of watching people told him, that the little girl is scared, yet she tries to hide it as hard as she can.  
“It depends on who is asking” he growled, hiding his gun into his sweatpants. The girl wasn’t looking as a threat. He was curious where her guardian was.  
“My name is Kozume Nekomi” she introduced herself. “And I’m nine years old” she added, speaking as it explained her visit.  
Kuroo shook his head.  
“I don’t know anyone with a name Kozume” he said openly. “You’ve must mistake me with someone, kiddo.”  
“No, I’m sure it’s you, sir” she smiled, showing a hole after a milk tooth. “Uncle told me where to find you. And it’s about a time for you to come back” she nodded to her own words, suddenly without being formal.  
Maybe it’s another Bokuto’s sick joke, he thought. He smiled as charmingly as he could to a girl.  
“And if you do find me, what’s then?” he asked.  
“Uncle told me to bring you home. They are all waiting. Can I step inside?” she asked shyly, nervously stepping from foot to foot. “We shouldn’t be talking about it loud” she whispered, smiling knowingly.  
Kuroo opened the door wider, and she slipped inside, taking off her shoes and carefully putting them next to his sneakers. He should call social services and give them the girl, while he will be looking for her parents. This wasn’t the best start of his vacations. Not how he imagined they will start.  
“So you said your name is Nekomi-chan, am I right?” he made sure, walking after her. “Kozume Nekomi-chan?”  
“Yes. And I’m nine” she repeated in the same tone, like it should be the answer for all his questions. Seeing, that Kuroo looks at her with total indifference, she sadly lowered her arms and put kitty backpack on the ground next to the couch. “You don’t recognize me, do you?”  
“I’ve never seen you, sweetie” he said, crouching down so his face was at the same level as the girl’s face. “I’m sorry.”  
“No, you’re not” she slightly shook her head. “I know when people are lying, I can feel it. I got it after you… dad.”  
Da…what?!  
“Wait, what?”  
“Nine years ago you’ve met my mother” she explained, and sat on the armchair. She was so small, her legs didn’t reach the floor. “You probably don’t remember, I know. Mom told me you were drunk like a trunk back then.”  
Kuroo thought hard. Actually he did have a night like these nine years ago. He didn’t remember much about it. They won their first university volleyball championship and with whole team they’ve hit the bar. It took him two days to be sober again, but he had this picture in his mind, a memory of having gentle, but quick sex with someone in the pub’s toilet.  
Of course, if he would be looking at the date only, there was a possibility he could be girl’s father. But there was something, he should be not telling to a kid like her, who devoted her time to find him, hoping he was her father.  
Kuroo Tetsurou was gay. There was no option for him to procreate a child with women, because he simply wasn’t interested in them.  
“I don’t remember your mother” he admitted. “But now that you mentioned het, she must be terribly worried about you, huh? Tell me where you live, I’ll drive you home.”  
“I live in Ginowan” she said.  
“Ginowan… Ginowan? Wait a moment, isn’t it in Okinawa prefecture?!” he roared suddenly and Nekomi happily nodded.  
“I came here by train” she told him with a pride in her voice.  
Kuroo snorted.  
“Your mother must be going crazy! It was very irresponsible, Nekomi-chan!” he rebuked her.  
“Mom thinks I’m at my friends place tonight” she slightly waved her hand. “And I’m a big girl!” Nekomi huffed at him like an angry cat. “Uncle told me it’s a time for me to find you, dad.”  
God to be his witness, Kuroo didn’t even have the strength to correct her again. The whole situation was so absurd, he wondered just which of his friend came up with this joke. He was expecting Kageyama and Bokuto at his door at any moment, crying with the tears of amusement. Very funny, trying to convince gay that he is indeed the father!  
“Why did you have to find me?” he asked, checking on his phone the quickest connection to Okinawa, so he would be able to drive her home s soon as possible.  
“Because things at home are getting worse. And uncle said, you’re the only one who could help us” Nekomi said with a conspiratorial tone. Kuroo looked up from the phone.  
“Bad things at home? Does your mother treat you badly?” he muttered quietly.  
“What? No! Mama is the best! But the Bad Witch imprisoned them all and they even don’t remember who they are!”  
Bad witch? Amnesia? A collective amnesia?  
“Bad witch” he repeated slowly, clearly emphasizing both words. “Honey, there’s no such things as bad witches. They live only – and shortly – only in fairy tales!’ he assured her.  
“That’s the point” she said, slightly bending her lips. “They all are a fairy tale! But they do not remember. And she wants them to be unhappy” she explained.  
This child has to go back home, thought Kuroo. To believe in such tings was a threat for her – everyone can use it against Nekomi. He again saw dead, child body right in front of him, frozen and abandoned toy, no longer waned by Storyteller. He couldn’t let another mother mourned over her baby. Therefore, he decided to play her game, until he drives her home or do not give her back to her parent.  
“Okay. Fine. If you say so, it must be true” he said.  
“You still don’t believe me” she mumbled sadly. Seeing that Kuroo is about to say something, she quickly interrupted him. “  
You also know when people are lying, dad. I got it from you, remember? But don’t worry. Uncle warned me that you won’t believe me. But he said that when you see it with your own eyes, you’ll change your mind, so it’s fine.”  
“Who is he? Your uncle?” Kuroo asked, changing the topic. Meanwhile he bought two tickets for the train to the Okinawa via his phone.  
“Uncle is the Fairy Godmother!”  
“O…och.”  
“He knew for a long time now who he really is, but he’s not strong enough to deal with the Witch himself. He has nearly lost his life when he send my mom to you over nine years ago.”  
Kuroo humbled softly. Maybe Nekomi’s mother remarried and girl didn’t take it well? Maybe her new stepfather isn’t a good man and she thought someone else is her biological parent? And some lunatic, who thinks of himself as a fairy, persuaded her that it was he, Kuroo Tetsurou, and helped find him in Web? Once he will drive this child home, he will check her family situation. And he didn’t have any plans, so trip to Okinawa will do him good.  
“Okay, Nekomi-chan” he said. “I’ll go home with you and get to know your mom and uncle, right? I’ll make sure you’re safe.”  
“Cool!” she screamed joyfully and jumped on him, using her little arms to hug his neck. Kuroo froze for a few heartbeats. After few seconds of hesitation, he carefully hugged her tiny body. She smelled of a sweet candy and the sun, something elusive and childish.  
“And now you have to sleep, sweetie. We have train early in the morning!”

Kuroo didn’t sleep at all during the night. He was too busy thinking about little girl, who was safely and soundly sleeping in his bed. Of course, he won’t admit that loudly, putting the blame all on the old futon (and yet he never believed Bokuto’s complaining!) and on the fact, that for a past few hours he tried to remind himself about the person he had sex with in the toilet. Sure, he regretted it later, angry on himself for taking alcohol and euphoria as a good advisors and let them made decision for him. Since then he was always so careful, never dating anyone while drunk and, what most important, having a sexual abstinence. From time to time he picked up a boy (or allowed to be picked) and spent night or two with him, agreement from both sides. They not engaged it further. Bokuto always tells him that he should finally tie with someone, yet he himself was also a single.  
I wonder who is she really looking for, he thought, looking at Nekomi, who eagerly slipped a piece of toast with cheese into her mouth. All this time (since she woke up), she was talking. About her school (apparently it was Snow White, who was her teacher and the dwarf Grumpy was a school janitor), and about how she likes to help her mom at work (she worked in the library). She also told him about their cat, who liked to sleep in the sun. Kuroo tried to keep up with it, be she was so quick in changing the topics.  
This was the reason he was so relieved, when she fell asleep a little while after they set off on their journey. He always wanted to have a child, but assuming his sexual orientation, he thought it would never happen. He couldn’t helped but smiled, looking at her and her crooked braids, which took him awhile to do this morning. He wondered, if he would have a daughter, would she also has such black hair, like Nekomi and him? Kuroo cannot deny that he really liked this kid, despite the crazy circumstances under which he met her.  
He will miss her a little after this.  
Taking the opportunity of Nekomi being asleep, he went out to the empty corridor (where he still had a good view on her) and called Bokuto. His brother picked up annoyed (in the end, it was still early and he was after night shift).  
“Hey, hey, hey!” Kuroo shouted into the phone, smiling sheepishly.  
“Hey, hey, hey, I’ll kill you” Bokuto mumbled sleepily. “Kuro, its nine am, what do you want” he asked.  
“Nothing, really. Just calling to tell you I am on the way to Okinawa and may not be back for Sunday dinner with parents.”  
“Wait, what? Okinawa?” Bokuto quickly woke up. “Why the hell are you going to Okinawa?”  
“I took my days off, remember?” he reminded him. “And yesterday a little girl paid me a visit, claiming she is my daughter.”  
Silence fell on the other side. Bokuto spoke after few moments.  
“You’re kidding me” he laughed. “You’re ga…”  
“Exactly.” Kuroo impatiently interrupted him. “That’s why I am escorting her home and see why girl from Okinawa prefecture drove all way to the Tokyo to find me. Do not tell our parents” he added quietly.  
“I won’t. I’ll come up with something, don’t worry” Bokuto yawned. “Get back quickly and take care of that your skinny ass.”  
“Och you wished you have one” Kuroo laughed and went back to Nekomi. 

In the centre of Okinawa, they’ve changed train for a bus to Ginowan. In the meantime, Kuroo learned that it was quite small town, founded recently, and its symbol was chrysanthemum. They’ve also had a fast dinner and Nekomi convince him to buy ice-cream, while they were waiting. She laughed, when Kuroo stained his chin. He wasn’t as calm and relaxed for a past few months as in her company. He even almost forgot the purpose of this trip. After all, he wished he and Nekomi could spent more time together, even if they wasn’t doing anything special.  
“It’s here, it’s here” she said enthusiastically, when the bus stopped at the bus stop next to the forest.  
Driver explained to him, that no one ever leaves this town, so bus never goes into it. And he saw the empty bus stop and information, that there are only two buses to Okinawa per day. Kuroo thought that maybe the residents had their own cars or the town was so self-sufficient, so that they don’t need anyone from outside.  
“We have to go now, dad” Nekomi dais, slipping her fingers into his hand and grinning. “Don’t worry, dad, it’s not so far.”  
Dad. It was strange, but Kuroo doesn’t protest any longer against this nickname. It sounded so naturally.  
“It’s quite calm here” he notices, as they walked the narrow path through the forest. Two cars would have a problem to fit on this road.  
“I told you. It’s because no one is allowed to leave the town” she reminded him.  
“But you did it. And your mother too.”  
“Mom did it only once and uncle almost died. But he knew that it must be done, otherwise nothing will change. Every curse can be broken, if you use something it didn’t foreseen, is it not? And the Bad Witch didn’t think about me” she proudly stuck her chest and Kuroo thought that perhaps being a unwanted child in a small community makes her a cast out, so she ran away to the land of her fantasies. “Well, she didn’t think about you too, dad” she added. “I’m sure you can make a difference.”  
“Maybe” he said evasively, knowing there was no pint in lying to Nekomi. "Oya, I see the city."  
They stood on a not so high hill, from where they had a good view on the town. It was neither big nor small, more like normal city where modernity fought with tradition over the influence in buildings. It was surrounded by the forest on three sides, on the last one it was ocean and a small, sandy beach. Kuroo involuntarily thought that this town is the perfect place to raise a child, but poor choice if someone wants to be a cop.  
“That’s my house!” Nekomi pointed a medium-sized, red brick building with her finger. It was stuck right next tot the larger one, with a tower and a clock, probably the library. “And there’s my school, can you see it, dad?”  
“Yeah, I can. Let’s go. I’m hungry” he said and Nekomi laughed. She pulled him down the road.  
Residents of the city looked at him strangely, when they walked through the streets, toward the library. The closer they were, the happier Nekomi seemed. At one point, she even slightly bounced, pulling him harder and harder.  
They were just a few steps from the library, when the door opened and some petite, blond woman run toward them. Nekomi pulled his hand from Kuroo’s grip and also run toward her, jumping on the woman and pressing her cheek on her shoulder. She was explaining something, but woman didn’t pay attention, clinging to her daughter. Kuroo took advantage of this moment to get a better look at her. She was slim, with narrow hips and flat stomach. As the woman, she was medium height. She could visit the hairdresser, because her natural hair began to grow, making her head look like a pudding and...  
It was this moment, when Kuroo noticed that the person, who was so tightly hugging Nekomi wasn’t a woman. Although small and charming, this face undoubtedly belonged to a man. He froze, when man come closer, still with girl in his arms. He was smiling softly, carefully, shyly. He and the girl must’ve been related, because they both had those golden, cat-like eyes.  
“Thank you for bringing Nekomi back. We were about to call the police, when she didn’t get back from school.”  
“Are you her father, sir?” Kuroo choked on his own words.  
“Dad, don’t be silly” Nekomi laughed. “I told you we’re going to mom.”  
“Nekomi-chan, is your mother a male?”  
“Of course. I’ve never told you mom is female” she giggled again hugging her mother tightly.  
Kuroo felt that something really must be wrong with this town.


End file.
